Ivy and Bean: What's the Big Idea? Read Online Free

fingers jumped along her keyboard. “Mmm,” she said.
    â€œMom?” Ivy said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œCan you tie this knot?”
    â€œYes,” said Ivy’s mom. Quickly, she leaned over and pulled on the string wrapped around Ivy’s wrists. She tied the ends in a knot.

    â€œThanks,” said Ivy. She and Bean turned to leave. “Bye.”
    â€œMmm,” said Ivy’s mom, her fingers beginning to jump again.
    They walked down the hall to the front door. Walking with their hands tied in front of them was weird. It made their stomachs stick out.
    â€œWait,” called Ivy’s mom. She poked her head out of her office. “Can I ask why you’ve tied your hands together?”
    â€œIt’s a global warming idea,” said Ivy.
    â€œOh,” said Ivy’s mom. “What do you mean?”
    â€œWell, you know how lots of animals are in trouble from global warming?” said Ivy. Her mom nodded. “They’d have a better chance if humans weren’t so powerful.”

    â€œIf humans weren’t as strong and smart and stuff,” added Bean.
    â€œSo we tied up our hands, to make it more fair,” said Ivy.
    â€œWe thought about hitting ourselves on the head, so that we’d be dumber,” said Bean.
    â€œBut then we thought that would hurt,” Ivy said. “So we picked hands instead.”
    â€œIf we can’t move our hands, we’ll be weaker,” said Bean. “And then the animals can take over.”

    â€œThey could take over the world from the people,” said Ivy.
    â€œIt’s a very interesting idea,” said Ivy’s mom. She smiled. “Where are you going now?”
    â€œWe’re going to go outside and let the animals see that we’re weak,” said Ivy.
    â€œWe may be eaten,” said Bean, “but we don’t mind.”
    â€œIt’s for science,” said Ivy.
    â€œThat’s definitely a good cause,” said Ivy’s mom.
    She didn’t seem very worried, so Ivy said, “If we do get eaten, bring our skeletons to the science fair.”
    â€œWill do,” said Ivy’s mom and went back inside her office.

    They stood in Ivy’s front yard, trying to show the animals that they were weak.

    â€œCome and get us!” called Bean.
    But the animals must have been napping, because it was Katy from down the block who answered. She stepped out of a camellia bush and stared at them.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” she asked.
    â€œGlobal warming,” said Bean.
    â€œWe’re fighting it,” said Ivy. “We’re giving the animals a chance to—”
    Katy interrupted. “You want to play Bad Orphanage?”
    Katy had changed a lot. When she was little, she had only wanted to play House.
    â€œNo, thanks,” said Ivy, “We’re working on a science project—”
    â€œJust wait right here,” said Katy. She crawled into the camellia bush and backed out with a jump rope. “I’m the mean orphanage matron and you’re the orphans,” she said.
    â€œNo,” said Ivy again. “We’re doing a science project!”
    Bean didn’t say anything. She loved Bad Orphanage. She loved being the cruel matron who fed crusts to the orphans.
    But Katy had her own plan. Katy was stringing her jump rope through their tiedhands. “You’re my orphan prisoners!” she said and cackled a cruel orphanage matron cackle. “Cry and scream,” she ordered them in her normal voice.
    â€œNow wait just a cotton-picking minute here,” began Bean. If she didn’t get to be a cruel matron, she didn’t want to play.

    â€œThis is a science project!” yelled Ivy.
    Katy paid no attention to them. One thing about Katy hadn’t changed. She had always been a tough cookie. “March!” she bellowed, and pulled on her end of the rope.
    â€œNo!” said Ivy.
    â€œMarch or I’ll